Abilene City Council candidates espouse small-business support, disagree over how to make decisions

Eric J. Shelton/Reporter-News
Abilene City Council Place 2 incumbent Joe Spano answers questions from the audience during a forum at the Abilene Association of Independent Business Owners luncheon at the Abilene Country Club Wednesday.

Eric J. Shelton/Reporter-News
Place 2 Abilene City Council incumbent Joe Spano, left, listens as candidate Jim Holzberlein answers questions from the audience during a forum at the Abilene Association of Independent Business Owners luncheon at the Abilene Country Club Wednesday.

Eric J. Shelton/Reporter-News
Candidate for Place 2 on Abilene's City Council Jim Holzberlein answers questions from the audience during a forum at the Abilene Association of Independent Business Owners luncheon at the Abilene Country Club Wednesday.

Candidates for Place 2 on the Abilene City Council butted heads Wednesday in front of about three dozen small-business owners eating lunch.

Both candidates — incumbent Joe Spano and challenger Jim Holzberlein — gave brief presentations and fielded questions at a lunch forum Wednesday at the Abilene Country Club, organized by the Abilene Association of Independent Business Owners.

Holzberlein, who spoke first, championed conservative ideals, particularly the need for government to be small and out of the way of individuals and businesses.

"We don't need to be like Washington, D.C.," he said. "We don't need to be more restrictive. We don't need to be spending money, telling people where they can or can't build something."

Holzberlein denounced the city's use of bonds to fund improvement projects and, instead, suggested committing a portion of the city's sales tax revenues to a set-aside fund for long enough until the fund could sustain itself. Such a fund, he said, would allow the city to avoid bonds and allow a more proactive approach to keeping existing roads and water and sewer lines in good condition.

In his turn, Spano pointed out the city's strong bond rating under the current council's direction — Spano has served for six years — and that some regulations are necessary to "grow the city in an orderly fashion.

"I'm a small-business owner and I have been for a long time, and I know that regulations aren't needed for business. But you have to have some to keep things organized, and for safety."

The two candidates disagreed about the principle a council member should use to make decisions. Spano said decisions should not be based on personal interest or desire, but rather on what would be best for the majority of people and the city as a whole.

Holzberlein fiercely defended his position that decisions should be driven by personal belief, and that such beliefs are ensured and granted by God.

After several minutes of escalating, almost heated, meandering back-and-forth between the candidates, Spano applauded Holzberlein for standing up for his beliefs.

"I applaud Jim for standing up for what he thinks is right and putting himself out there," Spano said. "It's not an easy thing to do."

Shane Price, Place 1 councilman — the only other councilperson up for election this year — spoke at last month's Abilene Association of Independent Business Owners meeting.